Gate Called beautiful
by aratcorien
Summary: A day in the life of CSI's, with each character inputting their own perspective on the relationship between Grissom and Sarah. [GS]
1. Gil

A/N: This is between Gil and Sarah. . . okay, basically it's a study in the perceptions of people, so each chapter will be in another character's voice about basically the same 24 hour period. The epilogue will feature pieces of each person's end results. The title I got from the book of Acts in the New Testament of the Bible, where Peter and John heal a lame man who sat at the Temple Gate called Beautiful, you can read more about it and understand the significance of the imagery Acts 3:1 - 10.

* * *

She's so beautiful. 

I never should have come to the place I'm at, but it's too much to think about.

Her face is more peaceful in this slumber than I have ever seen before.

And it's all my fault.

I couldn't handle my affection, my lust and now I have to . . . what? Go back to that pitiful life I tried to live before? All I want is to love her. To be with her, sleeping peacefully beside her, tangled under her tan and burgundy sheets, but it's not to be. It can't be. My dream has come true in a whirlwind of grunts and graceful sighs and the waking from it is torture.

Never thought that waking up after the best of dreams could be so horrific. I don't know what's worse, the foreboding that I'll never be able to taste that dream again, or that I've seen it all before. Dozens if not thousands of times, and they always end in the same way: someone's body on a cold metal slab.

In times of war, the ancient Amazons would meet with their male counterparts and mate, warrior to warrior, the next day to see the same men on the battlefield and slaughter them, or be slaughtered by them. What is this war that has the world echoing beyond time and that frail piece of social etiquette that deems it unethical to speak of? Still, it whispers and permiates everything. Every word, every gesture, every feeling, every piece of time with one sex and the other. We try to hide it with small skirmishes of feminism and homosexuality, but in the dusk of the day the war is still the same.

A comfortable sigh eminates from the dark brown haired woman laying smoothly in her covers beside me. Why can't I have her? Why would it not be right? Tucking her more firmly into her covers I kiss her forehead, smoothing the hair cascading in small streams across her face. Rising from beside the bed, I take my clothes from the floor and cover my nakedness all the while telling myself that no one will know, no one will figure out the mystery. No one will ask questions. . . If I believed that, I would be discrediting my team's forensic abilities. I stop at the buttons to my shirt, neglecting them to the sunlight.

The noon day Vegas sun is peeking through the holes in her apartment's thick burgundy black shades. Even the sun wants to unveil our secret. It was only once, only one night, one. . . infinite moment that will stay with me forever.

Problem is, it will stay with her, too. I've been so selfish these past few hours I didn't stop to think of how awkward life at work will become for us. Catherine'll be the first to notice something different. Especially in me.

Turning away from the window, I can hear her breathing getting heavier, more sporratic. A thin layer of sweaty film is rising onto her skin and her brow is furled. Her skin is cold to the touch. She's having a nightmare. It seems she needs me, if only for one day. I settle my body onto the bed, hearing the springs grieve their burden to the soft foam of the matress as I reach for her grasping hand pulling at the thin sheets. Taking it in mine, I wince at the strength of her fingers, bending lower, closer to her ear, I whisper,

"Sara" she heard me, mouth crept open slightly, it seemed to calm her, but I notice my own scowl as I feel her body tense with another wave of the nightmare. Putting my hand on her slick, naked back I whisper again, closer to her ear,

"Sara"

She woke up screaming. Acting quickly, I held her upwright body as she panted and shook, I don't think she knows I'm real.

"Let go! Let go of me! Get away!" she yells, struggling with my soothing hands. Letting go of her, I keep talking, hoping she'll wake up.

"Sara! Sara, it's me. Gil, shh, Sara, I'm here, I'm sorry, I don't know what to do, just tell me what to do!"

Heavily panting, I hear her answer garbled through the blankets, where she's sunk into the fetal position.

"It. . . was awful" I can barely make out her whisper, but encouraged with her words, I bend lower to her.

"What can I do?" I ask, watching her relax a bit and turn around to face me.

"Talk" she gulped. There is something heart breaking in seeing one of the strongest women in the world almost speechless in tears and terrors. Nestling into her, I pick up her amazing body and caress her carefully in my lap. I don't know what to say, so I just . . . begin.

"I. . ." I hear myself heave a heavy sigh, I'm no good at this.

"I don't think. . . damn it, Sara I'm no good at this. This whole. . . being. . . I guess life saps the strength out of people. Especially their words. And what are we without words? According to Shakespeare, life's a stage. I'm not so sure. Life's more of a theatre under the stars, or a catacomb beneath a heavy layer of rock, like Plato's Cave. I guess when you showed me something more than shadows I got scared of what the shadows would think, and I almost left without saying goodbye. . . without saying anything and it kills me. It kills me, Sara that we can't just give this a chance, that. . . that I'm your boss. It shouldn't matter, should it? . . . god Sara, you're so beautiful it's driving me insane! I guess I can better understand why people go to the extremes they do when . . . when you can show me such passion. I never really lived before. . . I'm sorry, I'm supposed to be making you feel better, not load you down with . . . I'm no good at this, Sara"

Turning to have her back to my chest, Sara reaches and clasps my hands in hers, "You're better than you think" I hear her, but it doesn't register as she sinks back down to the warm softness of her queen sized bed. I follow.

"Thanks for not leaving. . or whatever" Sara says, I must have chuckled, because she's turned to look at me with smiling eyes. The smile catches. Taking a daring move, I go to tickle her sides. She's most vulnerable there. I know that from an unfortunate incident between her and Greg. Unfortunate for Greg. He had crept behind her during Analysis, and poked his index fingers into the soft spots in her sides. You could hear her scream at county lock-up. Then again, it took Warrick and Nick to grab her before she killed him with a stray autopsy scalpel. Everyone had a good laugh over morning coffee. Greg's reaction?

"Seriously, I didn't know she was that ticklish!"

I must've been laughing, because she's looking at me funny.

"What?"

". . . Nothing"

"Something. What? Do I have something on my forehead?" she says that with that strange crinkle in her forehead that's so endearing. I'm afraid I'm getting lost in her face.

"No. . ."

"So,"

"I was just. . . thinking about the time Greg rammed his fingers in your sides"

"Aahh, I can beat that" she smirks, slapping my chest softly with her fingers.

"Try" I retort, rubbing my hands up and down her smooth toned back.

"What about. . . aha! The time Catherine hid behind your bug collection and made eery noises before tapping your head with a fake arm?"

Shuddering, I remember the heebie-jeebies,

"Blah. That was different"

"You screamed like a school girl!"

"Says who!?"

"The whole department! Brass thought Lindsey had gotten a hold of your spider collection!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

The sounds of our laughter feel. . like sweet bliss. Our foreheads touching, we instinctively clear our throats as my eyes go wide.

"What. . . are we doing?"

"Does this bother you?" she asks, running her hands down my chest, pulling my unbuttoned shirt aside.

"Not as much as. . ." my throat catches. I just can't say it.

"As much as going back to work?"

I nod. Why did God make you so intoxicating? I feel like a lepper being caressed by an angel.

"Suppose we don't tell them?"

"They'll know."

"Maybe not"

"Sara..."

"No, Gil, you listen. I'm not ready or prepared to give you up yet. Damn the others, they'll just have to . . . to live with it"

"Can we? Can we promise each other to act with an appropriate working relationship no matter what happens between us?"

"Little too late to be questioning that. We're going to have to deal with it, and that's final"

"I can. . do that" I gulp, standing on the destructive edge of the war between protocol and animal instinct. Instinct wins.

Leaning up, I savagely catch her breath in a kiss, ending everything in another bought of the passion that begot the problem in the first place.


	2. Catherine

A/N: More editing done. For everyone: I fixed Sara's name, and tried to find the spelling mistakes. Thanks for the heads up.

* * *

Something's up. I can smell it. . . Especially with Grissom. Maybe it's the fresh scent of aftershave, or the fact I caught him crooning to his insects. Twice. Call me inquisitive, but did Sara come in at the same time with Gil, today?

Maybe it's the way he's twiddling his pencil during his crossword puzzle that's. . . driving me up the wall!

"So, what's up?"

"Hmm?" he feints, trying to make me think he didn't hear me. I don't think he wanted to. Hey, I invented that look! Sometimes I wish I could smack that man upside the head, but then again, it's mostly because he's being so damned clueless. A clueless man, there's a surprise. Time for some good old-fashioned Q & A.

"How was last night?"

"Fine"

"What did you do?"

"Not much"

"Stayed home?"

"Something like that"

"Sounds interesting"

"I guess"

"How's the sex?"

"Amazing"

"Hah!"

"Huh? . . uh. . " he's sputtering like a small child with his hand in a cookie jar! Oh my living heaven. He had sex! Who with? Wait a minute. . . do I want to know?

"I mean, her car was here, I picked her up for shift, and she said she was.. . Catherine, I have a confession to make"

"Yes, yes you do." is he going to say who I think he's thinking about?

"Um. . so last night we. . "

"Whose we?" Greg Sanders says, skidding on the table and grabbing a big jelly doughnut. Perfect timing, Greggo.

"Nothing! Hey, I've got case reports to do, so I'll be back later for assignments... Uhh, yeah. Bye"

"Woa! Never seen him in a hurry to do paperwork before. . . was Gruesome Grissom . . . blushing?" Greg the wannabe CSI asks, what a newbie.

"Greggo, you're darn right"

"Somebody got some" Greg chuckled, biting into his doughnut. Darn right.

"I didn't know you met someone, Cath" Warrick Brown said, walking into the room to grab a mug.

"Not me, him" I said, pointing to where Gil's trying to unlock his door. Aaaand dropping his keys and cursing and fumbling them again, and finally getting the idea to turn the knob. He never locks his door on shift.

"Grissom?" I don't blame Warrick's surprise, I mean, the thought of Gil Grissom having sex is. . . almost a bit disturbing. I mean, how does a guy who studies bugs and crossword puzzles copulate? How wierd is that? Okay, so I've been privy to some wierd sex, too, but still, Grissom?

"Grissom what? What's up guys?" Nick Stokes says, strutting into break room with his normal level of spunk and attitude.

"Our dear Grissom had sex" Greg said, as Warrick cringed and I braced myself.

He never saw that one coming. Poor Nick spat his coffee back in the general direction of the wall before choking on what little was left in his mouth. Coughing, he still tries to overcome his shock. Warrick's slapping his back as we speak.

"How!? I mean, no! Don't wanna . . . are you freaking serious?!"

"Did I. . miss something?" Sara says, walking through the door and straight to the coffee, grimacing a little at the coffee splatter everywhere. Did she. . . when's the last time Sara's worn a skirt? It's got pretty frills on the bottom to boot. Uh oh.

"Why does the break room look like a crime scene?" she asks, pointing to the coffee splatter a la Nicky, then grabbing a mug from the back and filling it with coffee and sugar, taking a quick gulp.

"Grissom had sex" Greg blurted out. From the chocking fit Sara . . . is she turning white? Giving her a pat on the back, Nick says,

"Yeah, that's what I thought"

"Dude, do you HAVE to keep reminding us? Ew" Warrick shivered.

"(Cough). . What's so ew about Grissom having sex?" Sara asked a little too quickly for my little mind. She knows something.

"Uhhh I just came in for a cup of coffee, but I think I lost my thirst" Jim Brass said wide-eyed as he backed out of the room muttering something about silk and entimologists.

"Did. . did he say who with?" Sara asks, looking strangely suspicious as she straightens out the top of her skirt and a curl in her hair. I wonder. . .

"You'd WANT to know?" Warrick asked, shuddering for a second before looking at Sarah a bit cockeyed.

"Hey, Sara. . . you okay?" Warrick asks,

"Fine, why?"

"You're getting kinda pale.. ." Greg says, getting up from the table top.

"Yeah, and since when do you curl your hair?" Nick starts into the conversation, I have a feeling I'm either going to regret this or enjoy it very much.

"And wear such spiffy duds?" Greg asks, he looks rediculous with all that icing sugar along his mouth.

"What is this, the Spanish Inquisition?!" Sara yelps, her pale cheeks turning just a bit red.

"Woa now, no need to get antsy, unless" Nick parries, this could get very interesting.

"Heh, yeah unless" Warrick adds, sharing a glance with the rest of us.

"Unless what? What are you guys unlessing?" she retorts, moving closer to the sink.

"Oh, nothing" Nick drawls, "Unless you know what Grissom did last night"

"Or got some of your own. Yeow" Warrick chuckles. Sara looks like a trapt tiger.

"What? 'cause for once I left without combing my hair? I never knew curls were a sign of guilt"

"We . . never said anything about guilt, did we?" I tip in my own two cents, time to get to the bottom of whatever our dear Sara Sidle is hiding.

"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about. I just wanted my coffee, but if you guys want to investigate my personal life, then fine by me"

"Meeting him after work, are we?" Nick drawls again, smiling that sexy crooked smile that's probably taken more than one poor girl's virginity.

"As a matter of fact, yes I am meeting someone after shift, now if you don't mind, I'm gonna go find Grissom"

"What about me?" Gil asks from about oh, say three inches behind her. Speaking of Sarah, we all chuckle as she let out a shout of surprise and almost spills her coffee. Who said work can't be fun?

"We were just pickin' a bit of fun on Sara. . . So, you gonna tell us what you did last night?" Nick asks, a very brave move if I do say . . . okay those two are definately blushing. I have a very good feeling that they know what each other did last night. Intimately.

"Case work, Nick. And one very flexible crossword puzzle"

Sara just coughed, okay, this is officially wierding me out.

"Any more jokes, or are we all quite ready to take our assignments? I can always come back when you're all ready"

"Uh, no sir. We are ready and waiting" Warrick said with a salute and a grimace.

Again, I get paired with Greg on some missing person's case Eckley didn't finish. Great. So, he's in DNA and I'm looking over a mountain of file folders before I see Nick walking in. Hope Warrick's having better luck with Brass and that DB on the strip.

"What's up, Nicky?"

"You seen Sara? I know she's upset about Break Room, but it's still no reason to stiff me in the Garage"

"Uhh, no I haven't. . . but I'll make you a deal. You go back to the Garage and I will find our prodical daughter"

"Sure. Hey, you gonna be away from your file reading too long, because I can always keep lookin'"

"No! Noo, I'll find her. Go. Scamper"

"Alright" he leaves with a laugh. First place, Gil's office.

Walking up to the hallowed door, I have an uncontrollable urge to snoop, especially as I creep inside and shut the door and duck under a shelving unit at the sound of Gil and Sara's voices.

"Hey, what happened back there?" I can see Sara's skirt hem through the second shelf, she's sitting on his desk! Wow, that was fast.

"I dunno, I guess I just started to lose it" her voice sounds muffled. Darn.

"Sorry"

"They know you had sex last night"

"Catherine caught me serenading my spiders"

"You sang to your spiders? How cute, when are you going to sing to me?"

I can hear him shrug as his shoes go to sit on the desk beside Sara. This is too easy. Is that a dust bunny? Gross!

"Perhaps. . . after shift we can"

"Your place or mine?"

Oh boy, they ARE doing it! I feel like a kid who caught her teacher smooching the principle. Gil is gonna owe me big time.

"Later. For now, get going. Nick's probably waiting"

"And I've gotta change. Of all the days to give me car duty"

"Aw, but you look cute in those standard issue jumpsuits"

"Are you calling this ugly?" oooo, death blow!

"Uhh. . "

"Relax, Grissom. Not even you can get out of that riddle" she's turning to leave, oh no, cover, where's cover?

"Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful"

"No prob" I crawl behind the door as she opens it, I don't think she saw me, but. . . oh crap!

"Catherine! What are you. . . How did . . . why aren't you with Greg?!" Gil shouts, holding a hand to his heart.

"You're one to talk, Mr. I just had sex with a subordinate" I say, jumping up from my hiding spot and dusting off as best I can. No way is Gil gonna make me look bad on this one.

"It's not like that"

"Oh really? What's it like?"

"It was never supposed to be like that"

"But it is"

"I know. . . Cath, I have a problem"

"Yeah"

"I'm in love"

Major may-day, major, freaking may-day!

"I'm sorry, come-again?"

"Catherine" his hands are on my shoulders, bodily contact means he's serious.

"I am . . . seeing Sara"

"I think you've been doing a bit more than looking"

From the way he's blushing? Oh yeah.

"I need your help"

"Don't even, Gil"

"I haven't said . . ."

"The only problem I see right now is the lack of Sara in the room. No, Gil, you fooled with that poor woman's emotions for too long to come crying to me because she gave you the best you ever had"

"Ouch. Dare I ask?"

"It was obvious. Are you going to break it off with Sara?"

"I don't want to. Why can't I be selfish at least ONCE! Why can't I have someone to come home to other than bugs!?"

"Woa, easy fella"

"Sorry, I . . . Cath I just don't know" by the way he's sitting defeated in his chair, I can tell he's been giving this some serious thought. Poor guy, I've known him since childhood, and this is the first time he's admitted he's got the hots for someone special. If he's not careful, they could both loose their jobs, but if he is careful they could end up being seriously unhappy.

"Gil, think about it. . . wait, you've already done too much of that. . . okay, I got it, just keep doing what you're doing, and uh, try not to plow the building down in the process, kay?"

"Kay"

"Great, well, I had better see what Greg's trying to cook up in the lab"

"Yeah. Safe bet. Oh, and Cath?"

"Yeah, Gil?"

"Between us, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Not a problem," I am going to have to cut my tongue out on this one.


	3. Warrick

A/N aaaaaaaand the one with a bit more soul. This time, the grammar's going along with Warrick's speech patterns. 

scubadoobiedoo1111: (pardon mon francais, s'il vous plait) merci, j'ai prendre l'idee quand j'ai entendre le chanson Collide par Howie Day, et apres vue les episodes: SCUBA doobie doo, et BUTTERFLIED. salut

Twin Lance: Okay, okay. I'll finish Whence. . . problem is, I got stuck on a rut and havn't been able to dig my way out yet. I'LL TRY. hard. glad you like CSI, TOO. thanks for the support.

* * *

I was having a good day. One of those wake up before the alarm, do a couple miles on the treadmill, great shower and one heck of a good meal kinda days. My favorite songs even started coming on the radio, and that never happens. The was comes in when I entered the breakroom to the most disturbing image ever: the thought of Gruesome Grissom having sex. Man, that is just rank!

Needless to say, I'm more than glad Gris sent me far away from the thought of him and some random female shacking it up. That was, until I saw Sara. Is it just me, or did she act just a bit too interested? 'Murderer returning to the scene of the crime' interested? I mean, she did look fine. Moreso than I've seen in a long time.

Yeah, DB on the strip. Prostitute with an overdose, not a big deal, but Brass seems to think it requires his attention.

"Hey, Warrick"

"Brass my man, what's the MO?"

"Maybe you can help me out with that. What was all the commotion about Grissom in the Break Room today?"

"Cath and Greg were saying how Grissom was getting frisky with someone last night"

"Ah. Kinda make you sick, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I mean, he's got the right, but with who?"

"Oh, so you don't know he and Sara drove in the same car today?"

World. Me. Stopped in it's tracks. No. I cough as I swallow my words and Brass looks at me with that 'I know something you don't know' look again.

"You serious?" My mother used to tell me if I kept my face in a weird way, it'd stick. Never thought it was true until I started working with CSI. Been grimacing a lot lately.

"Yeah. That's why I left, went out to the parking lot to make sure I wasn't hallucinating"

"And you weren't"

"I wasn't. Sara's car is no where to be seen. So, what do you think about that?" he asks, as if I can say anything other than speechless.

"Uh. I dunno, man, I mean Sara? and the Griss?"

"Not that, that" right, DB, murder, or whatever.

"Unintentional suicide, maybe? Drug implements present and accounted for, I'll bag 'em and bring them all back to the lab. Match the prints to the vic" I am officially babbling.

Brass slaps my chest and I hand him the camera, he can take pictures as I bag evidence. I will never look at Sara or Grissom the same way again.

* * *

Man, report is awkward. I can totally tell how Grissom and Sara are trying not to look at each other. Cath and I share a look, damn, man! She knows, too?

"DB officially being ruled a suicide, nothing significant to report"

All I can think about is the mental image of Grissom and Sara. . . ew. I must've shuddered, 'cause everyone's lookin' at me. Dudes, I'm not the one you should be eyeing here. Wonder if anyone else knows. Yeah, probably.

"Warrick?" Gris says, I wasn't zoning, was I? Darn mental image.

"Yeah, uh," Sara's lookin' just a bit flushed. Saw Nick talking to her earlier, could be it.

"Uh, where's the body?" Grissom snaps me back, sick, I did it again!

"It's being released to the deceased's sister in the morning. Case closed"

"Thank you. Sara, Nick, anything to report?"

"Other than a collosal waste of time?" Sara said, chewing the end of her pen. I never knew she. . . oh. Man, that is wrong on so many levels. She can even flirt when annoyed.

"I wouldn't call that a total waste of time, Sara" by the way Nick's smirking he definately knows something. Major. Maybe after a couple of beers I'll have the strength to ask.

"What's that supposed to mean, Nick?"

"We did get to the root of one somewhat unrelated problem, just nothing to do with the case" he's gloating! Sara is seriously fuming. What happened in there?

"Dude, you two are not leaving this hanging, just tell us already" oops, that wasn't supposed to slip. Sara's blushing again and Grissom looks very uncomfortable. Like, 'cockroaches lost a race' uncomfortable.

"Uh"

"Our dear Sara here's been visited by a gentleman caller, who, according to her, is the best she ever had"

Oh my living Lord! I think I'm gonna hurl. . . not the only one, Grissom's coughin' a bucket, man! Why am I the only one not comfortable with this?

"Well, (achem) any. . . anything else to report?"

I hope not.

"No! Nothing. You know, I don't even think this . . . you know what? I'm leaving" Sara said, ouch. She is on fire! Nicky better watch his back.

"I'm gonna. . . yeah whatever" I need to find Sara. She's almost to her locker, great, I've got her cornered. Defensive measures activated. Ooo, that sounded like Greg.

"Hey, Sara"

"Go away! I don't want to talk" is she. . . crying? Aw man.

"Hey, hey there girl. C'mere" all I can think of is giving the poor girl a hug. It's sad how some of us can just take things too far.

"I just. . . I was so happy this morning, and now? . . . now"

"Shh, hey. No explaination needed. Guess I'm just worried 'bout you. Nick shouldn't have run hs mouth, y'know?"

"Yeah. . I dunno"

"So what if you 'n Griss. . . uh. . ."

Why did I open my big fat mouth? Sara's lookin' at me in panic, I think she's gonna pass out.

"How did you know about that?" 'handle with care' ring a bell Warrick? Yeah, I'm standing right under it.

"Uh, don't take it harsh, Sara, but you made such a deal with Break Room this morning, and. umm Brass saw you getting out of Grissom's SUV"

"Damn it!" she's jumped up and so long to the coffee mug as it shatters against some unfortunate person's locker; hope it's Eckley's.

"I take it you're going to give me a pep talk in managing my relationships, now right?"

"No, man. I mean, as much as the thought of Grissom having sex turns my stomac, hey, he's got the right"

Now, she's sinking back down to the bench and I'm gonna follow with an arm on her shoulder. Grabbing a kleenex from my pocket, I hand it to her and she blows her nose, that's better.

"He was gentle" I've never heard Sara be so quiet, this is a big thing, "He was. . . I've never been with anybody who treated me. . . like I was an angel. More than anything in my entire life I felt like this was pure. Holy. He made me feel holy. You should have seen his face, it looked like a cripple screaming for someone to hold him, someone to show him something beautiul and I wasn't prepared for that. Warrick, somewhere last night, I saved Gil Grissom and. . . sometime in the night. . . he saved me. I. . . can't let that go. Not yet. I need him, I. . messed up and life gave me another chance."

"Wow" I'm speechless. Here, I came to help Sara out, and wow, she ends up telling me something deep. I'm here for her when she needs me, and I guess she needed to say that. Leaning down, all I can do is wipe the hair from her eyes and kiss her crinkled forehead. I can't help but feel responsible for Sara, don't know why, I guess it's just part of being a member of the team. Cath can take care of herself, but Sara? She needs tending to.

"I'm glad you found that. You know I love you girl, and you know you can tell me anything, so don't forget that, kay?" I wipe her eyes with the unused tissue, and smile. She shares it. Boy, do I try or what?

"Thanks Warrick"

"Now, go get him! Yeow!"

She's chuckling, good. 'Cause this has been a hard shift for everybody. Think it's time to go find Nicky for that drink and maybe a slap in the face.

"Hey, Warrick, you seen Sara?" It's Cath, another one of the team.

"Yeah, she's gone to find Griss"

"Ah. So, Brass tells me you.. ."

"Yeah. Damn, I mean what a day"

"Huh. Yah. Well, see you tomorrow"

"Bye, Cath"

Walking out to my car, I see Sara driving off in a hurry. Hope she finds her peace, I know how lonely this city can feel. My footsteps across the pavement are all I can hear, and the hum of a neon light, picking up my phone, I dial Nick,

"Hey, man. Warrick. Yeah. Hey, what happened with you'n Sara? Really? I believe it. I'm in the lot, let's go out for a drink. Yeah, we need to talk. Your place? Sure. I'll pick up a six pack. Right. See you there, buddy. And, try not to break anything else, bye"

What a day this is turning out to be.


	4. Greg

A/N: Greg's chapter. This is put here, because I wanted to break up the heavier chapters. It's not my best, but hopefully I will vindicate myself later. Thank you all for your reviews, they really help a lot.

* * *

Spiffy duds, spiffy job, spiffy music, spiffy day. Yes, that's right, I, Greg Sanders, am having the best. Day. Ever. 

Even get to score a perfect ten on the table slide to the doughnuts. Jelly! Yes!  
And I'm almost certain Grissom was gonna grab it. Can't beat the Greg-man, that's for sure. Oo, gossip! . . . Okay, so maybe not the most flattering gossip for the male gender, but hey, it was about time Gruesome Grissom got some. Maybe now he'll be less of a crab in the lab. Okay, maybe more of a crab?

I don't think that's possible.

So, I get assigned to an actual case. Score. Get to work with Cath on some missing girl. First stop missing persons, next stop homicide.

"so where do we start?" I say, rubbing my palms together.

"First, you are going to wipe that icing sugar off your face, cause you look ridiculous"

"Why don't you wipe it off for me?"

"No offence Greggo, but you don't know where I've been"

"Does Grissom?"

"Hey. Don't go there, kid"

"Ouch, but aren't you just a tad curious as to who Grissom was getting twisted with?"

"Case. Missing six year old. Ring a bell?"

"Yeah, I'll be in DNA and try and find a match to that mysterious substance at the scene"

"Good boy. I'll go over the paperwork"

"Lucky you"

Man, that lady can sneer. Kinda sexy, really. But then again, I know her limits to how much Greggo the ladies can handle. So, I'm back in my lab now, waiting for the machines to do my work for me. Hah. They actually think I do stuff, but little do they know I get paid for doing the job of a monkey. A monkey. Y'heard me. Yup. I don't really know how to take that. . . test results aaaaaaaannndddd. . .

"Greg, have you seen Sara?"

"Not here, Nick. Or, is she?" I love messing with their CSI minds, is she? Isn't she?

"Ha ha, cut the crap, Greg, is she here?"

"Do you see her here?" For someone as supposedly smart as Nick, he obviously isn't thinking too well. My room's a set of glass windows.

"Well, no"

"There's your answer, now if you'll excuse me, I'm in the middle of something important"

"Yeah, dancing to your radio. How can you listen to that stuff?"

"How can you NOT listen to a little Punk Rock"

"By focusing on my job, brainiac"

Aw no, not another speech on workplace concentration, I completely zone out on those. Quick, think fast.

"Oh look! I saw Sara over there!"

"Where?"

"Going down the hall. Quick, you can still catch her!"

"Thanks Greggo"

Hah, I don't know where she is. Back to work. Right, test results. Mystery substance on missing girl's floor? Ice cream and dog slobber. Okay, I have got to tell Cath. . . when she passes by. There she goes!

"Cath!"

"Greg! What've you got for me?"

"Trace residue? Mint choco chip ice cream and dog slobber"

"Dog slobber. And Ice cream. Okay. . . anything else?"

"Nick was looking for Miss Thing"

"Yeah. I know."

"What don't you know?"

"Where this little girl is"

"Touche"

"Wait, I'm getting a call. Willows. Yeah. Working it now, found ice cream and dog slobber. . . Huh? You can't be serious. Okay, well I'm glad she's fine. Yeah. Thanks. Bye"

"Find the kid?"

"Yeah, apparently her and her Saint Bernard went galloping off toward the desert. Cops found her riding the dog along a main road."

"What are the chances of that?"

"'Bout a million to three, maybe? I've got paper work to fill out, so. . . make yourself useful, got it?"

"Lab duty. Got it" giving her my patent Greg salute, I watch that beautiful woman trot out of my lab as I dump the would be evidence into the trash just in time to see Warrick.

"Enter into my lab, kimosabe" I say with a debonaire crack of the fingers.

"Huh?"

"C'mon in. Whatcha got for me?"

"Some drug implements, run DNA, etc."

"Sure thing daddio"

"Yeah. I'll be back later" that man looks slightly disturbed. Maybe he knows what Grissom did last night. Man, life sure must be boring for me to care. . . meh!

"Don't get your shirt twisted in the door!" hehe I love messing with their minds. They don't call me a genius for nothing. Now, if only I can figure out what Grissom was doing last night. Speaking of which, here comes Mr. Gruesome now.

"Hey boss"

"Greg. What are you doing?"

"Running DNA checks for Warrick?"

"Okay. Um, I want you to run this. Now"

"Ah. Gotcha. . . What do you want done?"

"The works."

"Got it. . . So, what's her name?"

"Greg! Just run it"

Woa, hit a sore spot. Maybe there's another approach.

"Doesn't matter what the others say, I think it's about time you had a date"

"Really?" I can never tell if he's serious or not. Kinda creepy. Defensive tactics, talk without looking at him, and no harm done, right?

"Yeah, I mean, c'mon, you've got as much right as anyone of us. Probably more"

"What's that supposed to mean?" stealing a glance, I can see him wiping his eyes with his fingers. He isn't gonna be too happy when he figures out he's smudged his glasses. Of course, though, with Greg Sanders on his team, I've got it covered.

"Woa, hey"

"What?"

"Glasses" I pass him an extra lense cleaning cloth I keep in a drawer for my microscopes as he gives a patent Grissom Grimace,

"Thank you, Greg"

"No problemo, boss man. So, you gonna tell me what you were up to?"

"Something that has to do with a lot of sheets and a very pretty woman. Enough?"

"Yeah. You know what they say" wait till I tell Cath. Or anyone for that matter.

"What do they say?"

"Go get 'em, tiger"

"Right"

Wow, my lab's just a regular hub of activity, here comes Brass.

"Gil! There you are, I. . . uh, we need to talk"

"Ahoy, Captain, what's shakin?" secretly he likes me. I know he does. . . even if he scowls like the devil incarnate.

"Uh, nothing. Hey Greg, don't you have a microscope to look through or something? C'mon Gil, in your office. Now." ouch. Wonder what Grissom did that was so important Brass would cart him out to his office. Wonder if it has to do with why Sara was so skippy in Break Room. . . ooooo wonder if she's the pretty woman. . . nah.

* * *

"Hey, Sara. What's up?" 

"I need you to run this for a DNA profile." are her eyes puffy? Can't tell with all that grease on her face.

"Allergies?" I point to the kleenex box, probably something in the car.

"(sniff) Just run it, kay?"

"Righto" starting the process I've done a million and one times before I ask,

"You okay? Looking a bit melancholy there"

"I'm fine" now that was a lie.

"I thought you looked good today" something's up. Maybe my theory about her and Grissom is acurate? Who am I kidding?

"Thanks. I got all greasey. So much for looking good" I don't think she knows I heard that. Ouch, that is some serious pain. Thankfully I keep an emergency date kit in my desk.

"Here" getting out the bag, I slap it into her hands.

"What's this?"

"Face wipes, lemon fresh anti-grease hair cleaning spray, a mirror, a comb, and the piece de resistance? Hair gel in a spray bottle for easy, clean hair fixing. Sorry I don't have mascara, but as you can see, my eyelashes are pretty beautious already" yes, I got a laugh!

"Thanks. Hows my DNA coming?" Sara asks, holding onto my bag like a kid needing a security blanket.

"Yeah, that. . . it'll take a minute. Enough time for you to freshen up"

"You're good to me"

Where did THAT come from? How am I supposed to answer that?

"I'm just taking care of one of my friends"

"Friends. Right"

Okay, now I'm interested.

"Spill".

"Huh?" she mumbles over the mirror and a face wipe. Sara looks really guilty about something.

"You can talk, or Whatever" little too forceful there, Greggo. It's a chat, not an interrogation.

"Nick's being impossible" she says over a spray of de-greaser. My own personal concoction of leave in shampoo, lemon essence and some select chemicals.

"Nick or you?" Big mouth? Shut up!

"It's not my fault he's immature and unreasonable! He had no right to tell me who I can date!"

"Woa girl! Seems to me your last night's activity doesn't meet with Nicky's approval"

"Apparently! So what if he's older than me! He's super educated, smart, attractive, an awesome kisser. . ."

Older. . . Nick's upset. . . Sara's red in the face and upset? Grissom smiling? Brass on Gris' ass? Catherine telling me NOT to go there? Oh. My. DUDE!

"YOU'RE THE PRETTY WOMAN!"

"WHAT?"

"OOOHHHH man! You 'n Grissom?"

"SHUT UP!" she's bolting!

"Sorry, sorry! I just . . . wow, dude! He is SO into you! Never thought you're one for the more distinguished, but hey, whatever floats your boat"

". . . you're the first person whose been cool about this"

"Yeah, well. . . whatever. I guess I'm just that kinda guy" Dammit! So much for Greggo, oh well, be super nice and sensitive now, later on, I might just score. Okay, I'm not that heartless, but hey, this has got to have a huge spillover. Like lab-go-boom spillage.

"H.. how's the DNA coming?"

"It is. . ." I peek my eyes over the paper, drawing up as much tension as is possible and?

"Your vic's"

"Serious!" woa! almost got a paper cut from that grab.

"Her own DNA in her own car" sucks to have no leads. At least I know what's going on in the Lab, though. Go me.

"Dammit! I thought for sure it would've been a lead!"

"Got anything else?"

"No! That took me three hours!"

"Sorry I couldn't be of more help. See you at report?"

"Yeah. Thanks anyways"

"Why else am I here?"

Wow. Sara and Grissom. How did that happen? Maybe it's better not to ask. Sara's backed out and is gone. Guess it's time for a break, and who knows what later.


	5. Nick

A/N: A chapter dedicated to Nick Stokes, and his Texan drawl.

Shout outs will resume next chapter. . .

* * *

Why is Sara acting so wierd? I swear that girl gets more like Grissom every day. Just because we show a bit of interest in her personal life, there's no reason to get all hissy and run away from Garage Duty. I don't know if she's worth this. Would you listen to me, of course she is, it just doesn't seem like it when she's being such a. . . such a. . . such a girl! First Catherine tells me she'll find her, but does she? No. At least I don't know, but I might as well have kept looking, right? Greg sends me on this wild goose chase, man I was being such a fool to think he'd know anything. I just wanna get to that darned car, and get to work.

I hate these zippers! These stupid, awful, useless zippers! They never work right. Or maybe I'm just having a bad day. Oh great, here comes Sara, it's about time.

"Where have you been? I was looking all over for you!" Maybe she can get my zipper. Man, does she read my mind? Without saying a word, not even a hey, she just walks over and does up my jumpsuit zipper with one swipe.

"I was just getting changed"

"No you weren't. I was all over this building, Sara. Where were you?"

"Can we start on this car? I'd like to get some sort of lead".

"Fine. Whatever" so NOW she's wanting to get on with processing.

Okay, so it's been two hours and not a word either way. Sara found some possible DNA match on the car seat, other than that there's nothing really to find, this is a waste of time. OW!

"For the love!"

"What happened?"

"I closed the door on my fingers! Ow!"

"Let me see"

"Why?"

"Quit being a teenager and let me see!"

"I am not acting like a teenager"

"Yes, you are" she says, grabbing my hand and checking my fingers. I feel like an eight year old getting a band aid.

"At least I didn't get all skippy and defensive in the Break Room"

"Just forget about that, kay?"

"No!" at this point, I really want to know what's happening around here. At least she's let go of my hand.

"No I will not forget about it. Sara, what is with you? First Grissom, then you get all defensive and testy, like.. . like. . . then you run away from Garage Duty?"

"I didn't run away!"

"Then what was it, Sara? What's this all about, huh?"

"Nothing that concerns you"

"I thought we were friends. I thought you forg. . ."

"This has nothing to do with that"

"Then what? What Sara? It's not like you're the one sleeping with Grissom!" She's turned away. I know that look. . . Oh my Lord, she is.

"Sara?"

"We need to get back to work"

"Sara, look at me" reaching for her shoulder, I grab it before she had time to reach for the crowbar in the tool kit.

"Sara, tell me you're not sleeping with Gil Grissom" what if it's true?

"Let go" I reach closer, swinging her around and grabbing her shoulders with my hands to see tears streaking her dirty face. I can't believe this.

"Sara?" she won't look at me, why won't she look at me. Oh man, what now?

"Just. . . please let me go"

"I can't believe it. I. . . I won't! Sara, do you even understand what sleeping with your superior will do to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it"

"Well we're gonna talk about it! Damn it, Sara! What is it with you and making things hard for yourself and everybody else?" This whole thing is making me mad.

"Me? I make things hard? Life, Nick! Life makes things hard! You havn't lived my life. You have no right to. . . "

"I do too have a right! You're my friend, Sara. I care about you and if you think I'm going to stand by and let you destroy yourself and him, you have got another thing coming!"

"Who said anything about destroying anyone? I love him!"

"I love you!" Where did that come from? We're both standing here stunned. Guess I'd better explain before this gets even more awkward.

"Yes Sara, I love you. As your friend and as someone who wants to help you through this, I love you. Why Grissom, answer me that okay? Why didn't you. . . why couldn't you've just. . . "

"I slept with Gil, because . . . We went out, ended up at my apartment, and it just happened. All I know is that I'm in love with Gil Grissom, and whether you can understand that or not doesn't matter"

How dare she? She could be putting the entire department at risk and for what? Some juvenile infatuation that ended with her and Grissom having. . . I think I'm going to be sick.

"I don't matter? Fine. I can live with that, but when you and Grissom lose your jobs, then he leaves you because his job is the only thing he could ever love in the first place. . ."

Slap!

She slapped me. Sara Sidle slapped me! Both of us look at the crowbar just inches from her hand.

"Is that next, Sara? You're gonna let that come next?" Staring her down, I grab her hands and wrench her against the Ford Explorer as she struggles.

"Let go of me!"

"I'm not gonna hurt you!"

"Off!" I step aside as she tries to kick my knee out, and do the only thing in my mind to diffuse the situation without hurting Sara: kiss her. I'm not proud of it, but I'm not proud of a lot of things coming from my mouth today.

"Don't make me do that again, Sara. Shut up, stop struggling and listen to me! I can't let you do anything more to destroy yourself! Grissom is. . . he's. . ."

"Gentle" she's turning away, hugging her arms to her chest, so I take her shoulders carefully again, forcing her to look at me. I'm not a hard man, she's just . . .

"A guy. He's guy and as such, I don't know how to say this so I'll just say it. You havn't exactly shown yourself to be hard to get where he's concerned. I'm not . . . hey, I'm not saying that I'm right, just that you have to at least concider that one of the reasons he slept with you could be his own loneliness and not affection for you"

"It wasn't like that"

"Wasn't it? I'm worried that this'll have a greater fallout than the lab exploding, than . . . I'm worried about you. Don't mess yourself up anymore. I'm here, and I'm giving you friendly advice. Don't keep seeing Grissom"

"I'm not giving him up now"

"Why?"

"Because he's the best thing in my entire life! He saved me! Gil gave me the best I've ever. . . he's good to me"

"If he's so good to you, why did he wait until now? Why not a year ago when you asked him?"

"He wasn't ready"

"Oh, he wasn't ready? Any man whose not ready for you doesn't deserve you"

"I'm going to forget you said that"

Grabbing for her again, I wince as she slaps my other cheek.

"Why can't I be happy? Why can't I . . . why can't you leave me ALONE?"

"Is that what you want? Fine! I'll leave you alone, go run to your precious Gil Grissom! Go on! In fact, I'll walk you to the door!"

She's grabbed her DNA sample, and we're storming out the Garage door, I'm hot on her heels, until we pass Grissom's office to hear him and Brass talking.

". . . you can't keep this up, Gil. For your own good, end it. I'm not going to tell you again"

"You're right, Jim. I can't go on like this. I'll do what I have to do to finish it"

Sara's stunned. I've gotta do something about this. It's not like I didn't warn her. Leaning over, I put my hand on her shoulder. She jerks away faster than a mad bull and stomps off towards DNA. Fine.

"Hey, dude! Did you just see Sara. . . Nick!" Warrick's voice doesn't register as I stomp off in the general direction of the Garage. The corner of my eye shows him standing dumbfounded, but I really don't care right now.

Taking a whiff of the Garage, I feel a bit better, guess it's the mechanic in me. Might as well make something out of this, so I start putting the tools away, stopping at the crowbar next to Sara's kit. Wiping my eyes, I whisper,

"Man, Sara. Why can't you just be different?"

"Not that easy, Nicky"

I turn to see Catherine standing at the door to the Garage. I guess I didn't notice how red my face was.

"Nick, man did she hit you . . . Twice?"

"Huh? Yeah. Slapped me good, eh?"

"Hah! Yes, yes she did. You wanna talk about it?"

"No, right now I want to clean up this mess and find the killer"

"How about taking care of those teary eyes and bruises of yours"

"Really? Are they that bad?" For the first time, I grab the mirror from Sara's kit and wow,

"Would you look at that! My skin's turning purple! I've got bruises, I didn't know she hit me so hard! Catherine, what am I gonna do?"

She's laughing! No wonder, I look like a drunk in a barfight!

"I've got cover up if you want it, Nicky"

. . . I can't believe I'm doing this.

"Why not."

"You serious?"

"Yeah!"

* * *

I wish I knew why I'm lettingCatherine put that gawdawful stuff on my face. . . I can't help but snicker a bit.

"Pretty funny, huh?" I ask, pointing to where Sara's ring mark is being covered up by goop.

"Sara slapping you in the face, or the reason she did it?"

"I dunno, man. I mean, Sara and Griss. . .oh man"

"You know, too huh?"

"Yeah! She told me"

"What?"

"Well, indirectly"

"Ah. Funny, huh. I mean Grissom must be pretty wierd"

"You can say that again. Wonder if he uses bugs"

"EEEWW!"

"Yeah, that is rank. Wierdest thing: Sara said it was the best she ever had"

Cath always makes me laugh.

"Really? Well she must've had some pretty bad sex if that's the case"

"Hmp. I dunno. . . okay I feel sick"

"Me too. Let's say we get through tonight with a laugh and just agree on how wierd it is that Gilbert Grissom is the best Sara Sidle's ever had"

"Deal"

* * *

So here I am, one irate Sara after, leaving for the recesses of places unknown, as I stumble up the walk to my humble abode. Warrick should be inside, he's got a key and his car's already in my driveway. Walking in the door, I've got a pit on my stomac at the thought of what Sara and Grissom could be doing right now.

"Dude, what happened to your face?" Warrick's first words, as I chuckle in the memory of washing that awful stuff off after shift.

"Sara happened to my face"

"Yeah, got that, but what the hell did you do to make her so upset?"

"Nothing, just. . . told her off for being . . . "

"In love?"

"NO! Sara is NOT in love, she's . . . she's. . ."

"Taken?"

"Shut up!"

Man, I hate this! Why can't I just get my thoughts together, and move on? It's like a teenage nightmare. Now Warrick's tossed me a beer and I open the can in a smooth motion perfected in my Frat days in university. Chugging the bitter sludge down my throat feels good, until I feel Warrick's hand on my shoulder.

"Dude, breath. There's more where that came from"

"Yeah. So, how'd you know?"

"Long story, most importantly, Sara's really shook up. I mean, major"

"I don't want to talk about it"

"Yeah. . . Want another beer?"

"Heck yeah"

"Sweet, bro. Hey, where's the remote?"

"You were sitting on it."

"Right. So, basketball or hockey?"

"Basketball, unless Baseball's on"

"Dude, Baseball? That's for old people"

"Is not"

"Is too" Warrick says, flipping to the highlights of last night's NBA game.

"Lightweight"

"Chicken Scratch"

Maybe this won't be so bad after all.


End file.
